Rachel Olivia squeezes by at Western Fair

Shellace did all the work and Rachel Olivia got all the glory in Tuesday’s $8,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 2 for pacers at The Raceway at The Western Fair District.

Rachel Olivia and driver Alfie Carroll left out and dropped into the two-hole behind Shellace in the featured tilt, and they held those positions through panels of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.1. Race favourite Gracie Montana applied first-over pressure on Shellace at the mid-way point, and they continued to battle throughout the back half of the mile. Shellace put away Gracie Montana in the lane, but she drifted off the rail in the closing strides permitting Rachel Olivia enough space to shoot through and celebrate the win. Shellace was second, with Gracie Montana holding on for third prize.

Daryl Roberts trains the four-year-old daughter of Western Maverick-Julo for Rasa Roberts of London, ON. The homebred is now 4-for-20 this season, and the 18-time winner has banked in excess of $95,857.

Mamasaidso has been on a tear in recent weeks for trainer Victory Puddy, and she kept the ball rolling with a 1:54 score in Tuesday’s $5,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred-3 for pacers. Since being reunited with Puddy in late August, the mare had put together a 4-1-0 record from five starts and she bolstered her record with her most impressive victory of the season.

Trevor Henry hustled her right to the lead from the pole position, and after being pressed by Misty Moonstone through fractions of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:24.2 she used a :29.3 closing quarter to win by 8-3/4 lengths over Twilight Seelster in 1:54. Misty Moonstone took home the show dough.

Mamasaidso, who was sent off as the 1-9 favourite, is a four-year-old daughter of Cambest-Fox Valley Surreal. Keith Cassell of Smiths Falls, ON owns the 11-time winner who boosted her lifetime earnings to $86,725 with the win.